Apparatus for annealing glassware



P. L. GEER March 21, 1933.

APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed Nov. 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 21, 1933. P. GEER APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING GLASSWARE Filed Nov. 11, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1mm. L. cans, or nnnmwn, rmmsnvan'm. assmnon To run msLna-Moaron company, or rrrrsauaen, rmmsnvma, A. coaroaa'rron or rannsnvama nrram'rus non ammanme emsswazan Application filed November 11, 1926. Serial No. 147,681.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for annealing glassware and the like, and particularly to that class of inventions in which the glassware is passed 5 through an elongated chamber, tunnel, or the like, by means of a conveyor, the temperature of the chamber through which the ware is passed being regulated to produce the anneal- 1n %t is well understood that glassware, after being shaped in a forming machine, must be annealed. The annealing operation as-now generally practiced consists in passing the ware on a conveyor through a tunnel or annealing leer having a relatively high temperature at its entrance end and having a gradually decreasing temperature therein towards its discharge end.

As heretofore followed, it has been the practice to discharge the glassware from the forming machine onto a table, and then operators carry the ware to the receiving end of the conveyor, designed to convey the ware through the leer, or to a ware-feeding device located near the said receiving end. This method of operation causes the ware to cool, during the time required to transfer it from the forming machine to the leer conveyor, to such a degree that the ware must be reheated to a temperature equal to the temperature of the ware as it leaves the forming machine. This method is not only wasteful in the amount of fuel required to reheat, but is detrimental to the ware being treated, creating stresses in the ware and causing breakage.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of annealing that will maintain the articles to be annealed at approximately the same temperature as they leave the forming machine for a sufficient length of time to prevent the creation of stresses and then to uniformly cool the articles. This object of my invention may be accomplished b trans- 3 ferring the glassware from the formlng machine by a ware conveyor arranged to pass through a properlv heated chamber tunnel or the like, thus avoiding the cooling to which the ware is now subjected prior to its intromain ware conveyor of the leer through a I heated zone; to provide a construction including, in combination with the main annealing chamber, an auxiliary heated chamber through which the ware is passed from the forming machine in its passage to the main annealing chamber; a new and improved construction including a feed conveyor leading from the forming machine, a main leer conveyor, and an interposed transfer mechanism; and automatically operable means arranged and assembled for effecting successive steps in the handling of the ware from the forming machine to and through the annealing apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, showing a portion of a leer in combination with a glassware forming machine, and mechanism associated therewith for moving the ware;

- Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view, the section being taken on line-IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a detail elevational view, particularly showing means for moving the wa're feeding-in conveyor; v

Fig. 4, a longltudinal sectional view of a portion of the leer structure, the section being taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view, the section being taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

As illustrated, A designates a glass tank of the usual and well known construction; B, a glassware forming machine associated therewith; and C, a glassware finishin machinelocated adjacent to the machine but in advance thereof." 'I have shown, in connection with the finishing machine C, means for discharging the glassware therefrom and, as illustrated, these means include a pistonoperated member 5, operatively connected by a piston rod 6 with a piston dis osed within 50 duction into the annealing chamber or tunnel. a compressed air cylinder 7. ylinder 7 as shown, is connected with amain air supply pipe 8, by means of an air inlet and an air outlet pipe 9 and 10, said latter pipes leading from a three-way valve structure '11,

the latter being in communication with the adapted to receive a ware feedingin conveyor 20 20. The feeding-in conveyor 20 is designed to convey glassware from the forming or finishing machine to the chamber 18, through the chamber 19; the provision of the feeding-in mechanism and its arrangement in re-' lation to the other parts of the apparatus constitutes an important and characteristic feature of the present invention. 21-and 22 designate openings through which gas burners may be positioned.

A door 25 is located at the ware receiving end of the auxiliary chamber or passage 19, and is designed to be opened and closed by means of compressed air. For this purpose, I have provided a cylinder 26 coupled up with the main air line 8 by means of pipes 27 and 28, a three-way valve 29, and connection 30 between the main air line pipe and the said valve.

The ware feeding-in conveyor 20 extends from a point in .advance of the chamber 19, through said chamber and into chamber 18. This conveyor 20 is designed to be intermittently operated by means including, as

shown, a compressed air cylinder 31, connected with the main air line 8 of the apparatus by means of pipes 32 and 33, a threeway valve 34, and a connection 35 between the three-way valve and the line 8. A pistonrod 36 of the cylinder 31 has its outer end connected with a lever arm 37, the latter. being carried on a shaft 38. Shaft 38 also carries a notched drive wheel 39 over which the conve or 20 extends. The opposite or free end 0 the lever arm 37 carries a pivoted latch or dog 40, adapted to ride upon the wheel 39 and to engage the notches 39a thereof. 41 designates a roller over which a strand of the conveyor chain 20 extends. The forward end of the conveyor 20 extends overa take-u drum 42. the latter being disposed on a sha 43 mounted in slide bearings 44.

The strands of the conveyor 20 are designed to be carried on channel members 45, as particularly shown by the sectional view of Fig. 5. As illustrated, the channel members are arranged within a metallic casing 45a disposed within the elongated chamber 19. 46 designates adjustable guides for the glassware being conveyed on the conveyor 20. r

The glassware transported from the forming machine through the relatively long and narrow chamber 19, by means of the feed conveyor 20, is designed to be passed onto a second ware conveyor 50, and for this purpose I have provided a transfer mechanism located and operable in the wide chamber 18, or disposed between the rear-end of the feed conveyor and the forward end of the conveyor 50. As shown, the transfer mechanism includes a radially movable or swinging frame or arm 52 arranged, when in ware-receiving position, in line with the feed conveyor Member 52 is carried on a vertically extending revoluble shaft 53. Any suitable means may be provided for revolving the shaft and its ware-carrying member 52 at the desired intervals of time; the means shown for accomplishing this include a motor 54, a worm wheel 55 mounted on the shaft 53, and a worm shaft 56. Operating in conjunction with the transfer member 52 is a guide arm 57 and a plate 58. Member 52 is designed to be raised and lowered with respect to plate 58 in order to move it upwardly out of the way of the glassware after the'said ware has been delivered to the leer conveyor. The means employed for moving the member 52 include a compressed air cylinder 59 having its piston rod 60 connected with the upper end of a sleeve 61, the latter being carried on the shaft 53, said member being in turn rigidly secured to the lower end of the sleeve, as shown at 62 It will be noted that the transfer mechanism, when in line with the feed conveyor as shown in Fig. 1, is adapted to receive a series of glass articles carried through the annealing leer structure. After a predetermined number of articles have been delivered to the transfer member or arm 52, as illustrated, thirteen pieces, the delivery of the articles to the transfer member 52 is arrested by means of a gate structure 65 operated by means of an air cylinder 66, rod 67, and the means for delivering air to the cylinder from a threeway valve 68, the latter being in communication with the main air pipe 8, and pipes 69 and 69a. When the predetermined number of pieces have been delivered to the transfer member 52, said member is revolved from the position shown by Fig. 1, in full lines, to the position shown in dotted lines, thereby bringing said arm over the end of the main leer conveyor. After the glassware has been deposited on the main leer conveyor, the transfer arm is then raised free of the ware and carried back into its normal position, ready to receive the next batch of bottles or glassware passing through the apparatus.

It will be understood that the various steps followed in the annealing operation are timed so as to act in relation one with another, and

for the purpose of actuating the different mechanisms employed for performing the different steps as outlined above at the desired intervals, I employ a control shaft 70. This shaft is connected with a motor 71, through reduction gear 72 and transmission mechanism 73, these means being diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1, of the'drawings. Mountedon the shaft 70 are a series of cams 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79. These cams are designed to cooperate with the several threeway valve mechanisms shown in connection with, first, the means for moving the glassware from the forming machine to the feed conveyor; second, the means for moving the feed conveyor; third, the means for operating the door leading to the auxiliary, chamber or tunnel; fourth, means for operating the gate 65; and, fifth, the means for operating the ware transfer member.

In operation, the glassware is mechanically delivered from a forming machine onto the narrow intermittently movable ware feed con-' veyor 20 by fluid actuated means including cylinder 7 and the three-wa valve 11; the o ration being controlled y the cam 75. T li e intermittent movement of the conveyor 20 is controlled by cam 76, said cam 76, as well as cam 75, being mounted on the control shaft 70. The movement of these cams is timed so that the conveyor will be moved intermittently after an article has been placed on the conveyor. As soon as an article carried by the conveyor asses the receiving end of'the chamber 19, t e door movin means are brought into action for closing the door by the cooperation of the cam '77 and the door moving means.

The operations just described are repeated at the desired intervals, thus delivering the ware from the forming machine onto theconveyor, passing the ware on the conveyor into the entrance end of the chamber 19, closing the door of the chamber after the passage of' an article into the chamber, raising the door to permit the entrance of a succeeding article, and carrying the ware forward into the transfer chamber 18. In this cham-' her, after a predetermined number of articles have been passed onto the transfermechanism located in the said chamber, gate member 65 is positioned to prevent a continued forward feed of the articles into the transfer chamber until the transfer arm has been swung from T ware-receiving posit-ion to ware-depositing position, and then-returned to ware receiving position. The movements of the gate 65 and the transfer arm 52 are timed by means of the cams 78 and 7 9-respectively.

What I claim is: J 1. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing leer, a belt ware feeding conveyor, a second belt ware conveyor having parallelmovement with the feeding conveyor, means for depositing ware on to the feeding conveyor,

a radially movable transfer member within the leer for transferring the ware from the feeding conveyor to the said second conveyor movable from a position parallel with the feeding conveyor to a position transverse to the second conveyor, and means formoving the transfer member..

2. In an annealing apparatus, the combination with a forming machine, of a belt ware conveyor associated therewith, opera-tive means for depositing ware from the forming machine on to the conveyor in a single row, an annealing chamber into which the Ware conveyor extends, operative means for moving the said ware conveyor, a second belt ware conveyor operable in the annealing chamber, a transfer mechanism within the annealing chamber interposed between the conveyors, operative means for swinging the transfer mechanism radially, said opera-ting means being arranged to operate in succession, and single means for synchronizing the successive operations.

3. In an annealing apparatus, the combination with a forming machine, of a ware conveyor associated therewith, fluid operative means 'for feeding ware from the forming machine to the conveyor, an annealing chamber into which-the ware conveyor extends, operative fluid means for intermittently moving the said ware conveyor, a second ware conveyor operable in the annealing chamber, a transfer mechanism within the annealing chamber interposed between the conveyors, fluid operative means for mov ing the transfer mechanism, saidfluid operating means bemg arranged to operate 1n succession, and means for controlling the successive operations, said control means including a revoluble shaft having a series of cams thereon.

4. In an annealing apparatus, the combi nation with a forming machine, of a ware conveyor associated therewith, fluid operated means for feeding ware from the forming machine to the conveyor, an annealing chainber having a door controlled entrance, fluid operated means for moving the door, fluid operated means for intermittently moving the ware conveyor, a second ware conveyor operable in the annealing chamber, a transfer mechanism interposed between the two conveyors, fluid operated means for moving the transfer mechanism, said fluid operating means being operative in succession, and means for controlling the successive operations. i

5. In an annealing leer, a main annealing chamber, an elongated narrow ware feedingin chamber,a wide chamber interposed between the main chamber and the feeding-in chamber, a feed conveyor on which articlesbeing annealed are supported on their bases,

a metallic muflie in the feeding-in chamber conveyor in the main chamber, and transfer mechanism in the intermediate chamber operable to transfer a row of articles from the feeding-in conveyor to the second Ware conveyor.

6. In a handling and annealing apparatus for glass articles, an endless conveyor to receive the articles singly and in spaced relation with their bases resting thereon, a bottomless oscillating and reclprocating transfer device in which the articles are engaged while on the receiving conveyor, a second endless conveyor, an annealing chamber in which the second conveyor operates, a stationary article supporting member in the annealing chamber interposed between said conveyors, means for horizontally moving the transfer device to slide the articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, means imparting a rising vertical movement to the transfer device to disengage the device from the transferred articles, means imparting a second horizontal movement to the transfer device completing the cycle of oscillation and then imparting a descending vertical movement to said device completing the cycle of reciprocation whereby the device is again brought into engagement with articles moving on the receiving conveyor.

7. In an annealing apparatus, the combination with a forming machine, of a ware.

conveyor associated and movable in synchronous relation therewith, an annealing chamber which the said ware conveyor enters, fluid operated means for moving the said ware conveyor intermittently, a second ware conveyor operable in the said annealing chamber, a transfer mechanism operating to move the ware from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, fluid operating means for the transfer mechanism and control means for the ware conveyor and transfer mechanism whereby each is intermittent.

8. In an annealing apparatus the combination with a forming machine, of a ware receiving conveyor associated and movable in synchronous relation therewith, an annealing chamber which the said ware receiving conveyor enters, fluid operated means whereby the said ware receivlng conve or is intermittently moved, fluid opera means for depositing articles on the ware conveyor, an annealing chamber which the ware conveyor enters, a second ware conveyor in the annealing chamber, fluid operated transfer mechanism in the annealing chamber, control means for intermittently moving the trans fer mechanism horizontally and vertically and simultaneous with the horizontal movement of the said transfer mechanism actuating a fluid motor for arresting the movement of articles along the said ware receiving conveyor beyond a predetermined point.

9. In a leer, an annealing tunnel having a conveyor operable therein, one end of said tlmnel having a lateral enlargement, a feeding-in tunnel at said end, a relatively narrow conveyor in the feeding-in tunnel parallel to the first conveyor and extending into the said-enlargement whereby it is ofiset with respect to the first conveyor, and-means within the enlargement arranged to swing from a point adjacent the meeting ends of the conveyors to transfer articles from the first to the second conveyor.

10. In a leer, an annealing tunnel having a conveyor operable therein, one end of said tunnel having a lateral enlargement, a feeding-in tunnel at said end, a relatively narrow conveyor in the feeding-in tunnel parallel to the first conveyor and extendin into the said enlargement whereby it is o ifset with respect to the first conveyor, means adapted for alinement over a portion of the first conveyor for accumulation of articles therein, and means to swing the first mentioned means away from the first conveyor to transfer the articles therefrom onto the second conveyor and then to swing said means from the second conveyor to the first conveyor.

11. In a leer, an annealing tunnel having a conveyor operable therein, one end of said tunnel having a lateral enlargement, a feeding-in tunnel at said end, a relatively narrow conveyor in the feeding-in tunnel parallel to the first conveyor and extending into the said enlargement whereby it is offset with respect to the first conveyor, a bottomless frame adapted for disposition over a por tion of the first conveyor for accumulation of articles therein, and means for periodically imparting movement to the frame so as to trans er the articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor and then disengage the articles.

12. In a leer, a conveyor adapted to receive articles in a line and in spaced relation, an annealing chamber intowhich the conveyor moves, a second conveyor, the latter conveyor being movable in the annealing chamber, transfer means into which a plurality of the articles are moved by the first conveyor, means to operate the transfer means so that the latter will move the articles while arranged in a row in the transfer means from the first conveyor directly to the second conveyor, means to intermittently advance the first conveyor, and means to arrest advancing movement of the articles on the first conveyor during transfer operations.

13. In a leer, a conveyor adapted to receive articles in a line and in spaced relation, an annealing chamber into which the conveyor .moves, a second conveyor, the latter conveyor being movable in the annealing chamber,

"transfer means into which the articles are conveyor, means to intermittently advance the first conveyor, means to arrest advancing movement of the articles on the first conveyor during transfer Operations, a closure at the entrance of the leer, means to intermittently operate said closure so that the leer will be opened and closed to accommodate reception of the articles, and pneumatic means for actuating the last mentioned means and the aforesaid means for arresting advancing movement of the articles.

14. A device of the class described comprising a conveyor, a bottomless swinging transfer device into which articles are moved by said conveyor, a plate leading from the conveyor, and means to operate said transfer device whereby the articles engaged will be moved from the conveyor and supported by the plate during a transfer operation.

15. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing leer having two annealing chambers, independent ware belt conveyor means operable in the respective chambers, and independent transfer mechanism operating entirely in one of the chambers for transferring the ware while arranged in a row from longitudinal line arrangement on one conveyor to transverse arrangement on the other conveyor,

whereby the articles of ware will be in different longitudinal lines.

16. In a device of the class described, a conveyor, a bottomless swinging transfer member normally disposed over the same and to which the ware is supplied by the conveyor, a plate relatively close to the conveyor over which said transfer member swings during a transfer operation, said plate serving to support the articles from below as the same are transferred thereover by the swinging of the transfer member. Y Y

17. A device of the class described, comprising a conveyor, a bottomless transfer device normally disposed over the conveyor and adapted for the accumulation thereon of articles supplied by the conveyor, a plate over which said device swings functioning to support the articles from below during transfer, a conveyor to receive the articles. from the plate, and means to impart swinging and rectilinear movement to the transfer device so that the same may move and release the articles.

18. In a leer, a means for conveying articles to the leer, a main leer conveyor, a sweeper, means for swinging the sweeper to con vey the articles from the meansto the conveyor and return the sweeper to the means, and a means for raising and lowering the sweeper to disengage the articles and to receive the articles.

19. The combination with a glass forming machine, of a leer comprising a tunnel having an enlarged ware-receiving chamber, a narrow heated chamber in communication with the tunnel, an endless belt glassware conveyor leading from the forming machine through the narrow chamber to the tunnel, a second endless belt glassware conveyor for transporting glassware through the tunnel, and oscillatory transfer means within the enlarged chamber interposed between the conveyors for transferring simultaneously while maintained in a horizontal plane a plurality of articles in a row directly from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.

20. The combination with a glass forming machine, of a leer comprising a tunnel, an endless belt glassware conveyor'leading from the forming machine into the tunnel, means for positioning the ware on the conveyor in a single row, a second belt glassware conveyor for transporting glassware through the tunnel, and oscillatory and vertically movable transfer means interposed between the conveyors and cooperating with the first conveyorfor transferring simultaneously a row of glass articles therefrom to the second conveyor, said conveyor being arranged in parallelisrn and said transfer mechanism being disposed entirely within the tunnel.

21. The combination with a glass forming machine, of a. leer comprising a tunnel, a belt glassware feeding conveyor leading from the forming machine to the tunnel, means for intermittently moving said feed conveyor, means for positioning the ware on the conveyor in a single row, a second belt glassware conveyor for transporting glassware through the leer, and swinging transfer means in line with the feeding conveyor and interposed be tween the two conveyors cooperating with the conveyors for effecting a simultaneous transfer while maintained in a horizontal plane, a row of glassware from the first conveyor to the second.

22. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing leer having two annealing chambers, an independent ware belt conveyor means operable in the respective chambers, one of the conveyor means being operable in both chambers, and means in one of the chambers to 7 transfer ware from the latter conveyor means while in a longitudinal line through a horizontal. plane to the other conveyor means, with the articles arranged in different longitudinal rows on the latter.

23. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing leer having two annealing chambers, an independent ware belt conveyor means oper-. able in the respective chambers, said chain the conveyor means being operable in both chambers, and means in one of the chambers to transfer a longitudinal rowof ware through. a horizontal plane from the latter conveyor means to the other conveyor means to arrange the articles in sequential rows.

24. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing leer, a plurality of ware conveyors for moving the ware through the leer with the ware resting-thereon and having the exterior thereof above the base completel exposed said conveyors arranged in para elism an offset relation, means for depositing warein a row and in spaced-apart relation on to one of the conveyors, and transfer mechanism within the leer including a radially movable member for transferring a portion of the row of ware from one conveyor to another so that on the latter conveyor the ware will be deposited in sequential transverse rows, and means for moving said member from ware-receiving position to ware-deposit' position through one horiontal plane an then returning the member through another horizontal lane to ware-receiving position.

sweeper.

' 25. In a eer, a conveyor for conveying articles to the leer, operating means for the conveyor, a main leer conveyor, operating means for the main conveyor, a sweeper, means for swingin the sweeper to convey the articles from t e first conveyor to the second conveyor and return the sweeper to the first conveyor, and means 'for controlling the operation of the operating means to vary the rate of movements and coordinate the movements of one of the said conveyors and the sweeper.

26. In a leer, a conveyor for conveying articles to the leer, operating means for the conveyor, a leer conveyor, operating means for the leer conveyor, a sweeper, means for swinging the sweeper to convey the articles from the first conveyor to the leer conveyor, means to raise the sweeper at the leer conveyor and lower it at the first conveyor to engage the articles, and means to control the operation of the operating means to coordinate the movements of the conveyors and sweeper at variable timed intervals.

27 In a. leer, a conveyor for conveying articles of glass to the leer, operating means for the said conveyor, a second conveyor, operating means for the second conveyor a sweeper adapted to transfer a row of artic es simul taneously through a substantially horizontal arcuate path from one conveyor to the other conveyor, means for moving the sweeper between the conveyors, and means to coordinate the movements of the said conveyors and the 28. In a leer, a conveyor for delivering articles of glass to the leer, operating means for the said conveyor, a receiving conveyor for the articles, means for operating the said conveyor, swinging transfer means associated with the conve ors adapted to move a row of articles simultaneously from one conveyor to, the other through a substantially horizontal arcuate path, meanscontrolling 

